Eternal Flame (Night Watch 3)

And that ass**le demon charged him, grabbing Zane around the waist, and they both went down hard, slamming into the pavement.

Jana kept running. The thud of her footsteps echoed in Zane’s ears.

“Don’t worry about the bitch,” Jacobson grunted, and oh, damn, but the guy’s face was wrecked. “The others will get her.”

What? Others?

“You think you’re so bad … hunting your own kind.” Jacobson plowed a fist into Zane’s face, and Zane took the punch because he wanted the bastard to keep talking. “Fucking traitor, want to be human, can’t—”

This time, Zane caught the fist that came at his face. And because the demon had pissed him off, Zane broke two of the guy’s fingers.

Jacobson howled. Zane squeezed tighter. “Who are the others?” he demanded. He couldn’t see Jana anymore. That woman sure moved fast for a human.

“L-let…g-go…”

Zane smiled. “No.” It was his turn to head-butt. He smashed his forehead into Jacobson’s nose.

The demon crawled away, gagging as blood flew from his broken nose.

“Something you should know,” Zane murmured as he rose to his feet, brushing off his hands. Jacobson was still on the ground, moaning. “I like to fight dirty.” Then he drove his booted foot into Jacobson’s side. Paused. Then did it again. The demon curled into a ball. “Next time, leave the humans alone.”

“Bastard!”

True. But flattery wouldn’t stop him. Where was Jana? Zane risked one moment to let his gaze rake the darkness. That was when he heard her scream.

“You’re a naughty girl, Jana.” The angry whisper blew against her ear.

Damn the supernaturals in the city. They were everywhere, and it sure seemed like they were all gunning for her. Why was she becoming Ms. Popular?

“Let me go,” she said loudly, really hoping that Zane had caught her scream. And, come on, what had been up with him shoving her at the crazy demon? Hadn’t the guy ever heard of protecting the weak? Hadn’t she looked weak enough for him?

“You’re a hard woman to track.” The jerk didn’t let her go. He just shoved her up against some smelly alley wall. She couldn’t see his face. Since she was human, she didn’t get bonus vision in the dark. Just a body that could break too easily. And had, too many times.

“Wh-what do you want?” Come on, Zane, haul ass. She didn’t need to see in order to know the identity of the man who’d snuck up on her and now held her in his too cold and too tight grip. She hadn’t planned to meet him tonight. Hadn’t been ready. But she’d known that he was watching. He was one of those pricks who liked to watch while the world went to hell around him.

“I want to make sure you understand the rules of the game.” Great. He’d pushed her hair to the side and now his breath was on her neck. She really didn’t want this guy’s mouth on her neck. She didn’t want him anywhere near her.

If Zane’s not coming, then I can take care of him. I can do it.

As long as Zane wasn’t there to see….

Her breath came out on a long, slow rush. “I understand the rules.” He didn’t.

“Then why the hell did you go after my man?” His claws pressed into her chest. Right above her heart.

Jana stilled, barely daring to breathe because she’d just caught the glint of fangs in the dark. When a vamp’s fangs were that close to your throat—hell. And those claws hurt. He hadn’t shoved them too deep, not yet, but if he wanted, the guy could cut her heart out in less than two seconds’ time.

I hate vampires.

“How was I supposed to know he was yours?” She started talking, fast, but kept her voice quiet now. “He’s a demon, I thought—”

A growl. “You thought wrong. You’re not supposed to attack the demons.”

Wasn’t she? Sometimes, the jobs all ran together.

“I let you live after you took my men—”

Right, those two evil, sadistic, murdering bastards had been his men.

“I tracked you, could have f**king drained you dry, but I let you live.”

The vamp smelled like a graveyard. Jana tried real hard not to inhale too deeply.

“You’re alive because I want you to hunt,” he snarled, “and you hunt who I say. I’m the one in charge, bitch.”

“Jana!” Oh, finally, Zane’s voice. Talk about taking his sweet time.

“He’s the prey. The first you’ll take down for me.” The freak licked her neck. Licked her. “And I want him to suffer.”

What? Zane? He wanted her to attack Zane?

“Show me just what you can do, bitch. Kill him, or die.”

She nodded weakly. Because, really, what choice did she have?

He released her, finally moving those claws away from her heart. The wounds he’d made ached, throbbing dully. Her head sagged forward. She inched toward the light. Toward Zane. He was running fast, racing to get to her. “Kill him.”

She glanced back at the vampire hiding in the shadows. Jana took two more steps away from him, turning so that she had the best view of his hulking body, and then she smiled.

“I’m not still in this town just so I can be your bitch,” she whispered and let the frightened act vanish. The vampire froze, and she knew he’d gotten a good look at her face. Her eyes. “I stayed to take you out.” He’d been her target all along, but she’d missed him that first night. Then he’d gotten the jump on her. Sometimes, a woman had to wait and find her perfect killing time.

Now.

And here she’d thought it would be hard to lure the vampire to her. All she’d had to do was light the right fire under his little demon minion, and she’d gotten his personal attention.

“No!” He lunged at her.

But she wasn’t in the mood to get her heart torn out right then.

Zane raced into the alley, his legs pumping, adrenaline powering his blood.

And he smelled flames.

Then he saw the fire sputtering near the dumpster. He waved his hand, and the flames quieted.

“Jana?”

She wasn’t there. He crept forward and stared down at the charred remains on the ground. Fuck. The stench stung his nose.

“Jana!” But she was gone, and a hot fury began to burn in his gut because Zane realized that he’d been played. For the second time, he’d been taken in by a pretty, lying face. A face that hid a real monster behind the cloak of innocence.